Electric-battery cell.



H. A. THOMAS. BLEcTIo BATTERY om; APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1912.

1,090,763; Patented Mar. 17, 19m

annu/woz To 'all 'whom it may concern Springeld, in the -county of Sangamon,

State of Illinois, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Batterry-Cells; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full,clear, and eXact descrip- .tion ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertai'ns-to make and use the same.`

This invention relates to improvements in electric-V battery cells, and more particularly to primary cells of the two-fluid type. The principal object of the invention is to provide a cell of the character described in l' uwhich the potential Will'remain constant.v

Another object of the invention is to provide-'a cell for the purpose described in which the working liquid is kept in a conL 'stantstate of perfection, thereby eliminating any possibility of deterioration and consequently a gradually increasing resistance and diminution of potential.

'A further object of the invention is to provide an anode for use in connection with.

a cell of the type above described, which is formed in a manner and'by such composition as to minimize the amount of possible counter-eleetro-motive force.

With these and other objects in view,the invention consists in the construction and 4.novel combination of part'shereinafter fnlly .described,. illustrated in "the, accompanylng ldrawing and pointed 'out inthe claims hereto lvappended; it .being understood that various 'changesv in the form, proportion, size and.

minor details of construction within the` scopeof'the 'claims may be Vresorted to without .departing from the spirit or sacrificing .anyv ofthe adVnt'ageS '0f the. invention? .In the drawing thefig'u're shown isa vertical section through.` la primary cell .con-.-

'structed in accordance .withrnyinvention.'-` Referring to the. drawir'ig,` the invention f comprisesa receptacle A', such as for in- -stance,va glass jan or the like.A 'A cu"v B whichjconstitute's the cathodeiis .disposed -within thereceptaclein spaced relationto the-wall44 andy bottompthereof, and is supportedfrsuch relation vby means of a lateral cept-'acle A. rfhis cupo catholeis'fformed ange 5 which rests upon-'thetop' of the ref vfrom carbon, and"isslightlyporous in Specification ofv Letters Patent.

fnAnnY THQMAsoFsPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

. v .y Encanto-BATTERY CELL.

f x formation. AAVpackingring 6 of rubbervor l Be it known thatl," HARRY A. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, Areslding at.-

afseat 7 for receiving a closure cap 8 formed of rubber or other suitable sealing material. An anode C is disposed within the cup or .cathode B and in spaced relation thereto, This'anode includes a body portion 9 which Aterminates in an upwardly extending reduced threaded end 10 forming a consequent The reduced end 10 projects. Y through a concentric opening 12 formed in the cap 8.

shoulder 11.

` A washer 13 surrounds the reduced eind 10 above t-he cap, and a winged nut 14 is-associated with said end for simull i "PatentedMa-r. 17,1911.

1\.`pp1i=anon,fneaiuay1v,1912. seriaimssaais. i L

fthe like is-dispo-sed between thereceptacle A Y land-the flange@ lof the cup for forming a tight connection therebetween. The upper inner edgeof the cupl B is rabbeted to form taneously supporting the anode and securing a. connecting wire 15 thereto. It willbe observed in this connection that the rubber cap 8 not only forms a support for the anode,

but also insulates the anodefrom the cathode, and at. the same time hermetically seals the cathode.

VCentrally extending4 upwardly from the bottom of the cathode is a `circular project1on 1 6, the diameter thereof being greater than the largest diameter of the anode C.

Disposed withinthe cathode B is a perforated tube 17 which is preferably formed of l hardrubber although other suitable material maybe employed if desired. The lower end of` this tube rests upon' the bottom of the cathode Band is disposed around the projection 16, said projection serving as av means to prevent' lateral movement of the tube. It will be observed that the'tube 17 is disposed intermediate the cathode B and anode C and inl spaced Vrelation to both.

Disposed intermediate the anode C and tube 17 is a vworking liquid which is designated by the reference vletter D. This liquid is formed by mixing the following chemicals together: lpart HCl,1 part'H2SO4, 8 parts H2O.` Disposed between the. cathode B and the tube 17 is a paste-like substance E which is formed by mixing thefollowing chemicals together: 1 part HC1, 1 partl H2SO4, 8 parts H2O, 1 part Na2SiO3. Disposed within the receptacle or jar A and .exterior of theA cathode- B is va de-polarizing liquid F of v'paste-like formation, which .is formed from part HNUB', 2' partsHzQ, lpart HC1, 1 part H2804,- 1 part the following chemicals: 1

dista-nt from theA anode. observedthat by meansofthe perforated Na2SiO3. After the paste F loses its life, it may be removed by the addition of a mixture of equal parts of sulfuric, hydrochloric and nitric acids and three parts water. A suiicient quant-ity of this mixture is added to the paste until said paste is thoroughly mixed. This may be done without removing either the anode or cathode, and as a result,

renews the lifeof the cell as if -a new paste had been employed.

` The anode C is formed by takingpure I zincshavings and dipping them into a solution of two part-s HC1 (hydrochloric acid) and seven parts water. Theshavings are then further cleansed with a solution of bicarbonate of soda in water. Thezinc is then mixed with mercury, bismuth land platinum in proportions as follows: Zn- 92%,' Bi., of 1%, Pt. of1%,A Hg. 7%." Thismixture is then ground until it forms la stiif paste, after which the mixture is mold-l ed into the shape shown in the drawing or to any other suitable shape as may be desired. It will be observed that the mer-v cury is employed for .amalgamating the zinc and the bismuth and platinumfor hardening the same. By forming the anode C as above described, all tendency of local Iaction will be greatly diminished as will bereadily understood.

By sealing 'the cell and employing the paste E instead, of liquid, a cell has been' .provided that can be used on vehicles and the like.

In this form of cell there is a 'tendency of the paste to gather around the anode C and this tends to insulate the fluid from the metal and'consequently shortens the life of the cell. In order, therefore, to eliminate this'objection there is provided a perforated hard rubber tube 17 which is spaced equi- It will thus be tube 17 all tendency of the paste to gather around the anode C is prevented, and as a result, greatly prolongs the life of the cell.

The addition of bismuth and platinum gives an increased density and hardness to the anode without appreciablyl decreasing the quantity ofzinc desired to be used in any desired size anode and prevents the electrolyte, solid or exciting fluid, from consuming Vthe anode unevenly and un# equally, as is frequently the lcasev whennothing but mercury is added tothe zinc;` When sufficient quantity of mercury is added tothe zinc to prevent too hasty action ofthe 'electrolyte upon the zinc and, to prevent uneven consumption andpitting of theA anode, the quantityof zinc in Vthe anode is c proportionately and appreciablyl less and to, v'such an extent is it less'that the life of the "anode is greatly reduced and the quantity of electricall elergy which it .will givefofl"Y so and useful one for lighting purposes and lighting' purposes.

purposes where a larger How-.or output of. amperage is needed and where needed for a.

considerable length of time.v The bismuth and platinum also prevent the pitting of the zinc mercury anode which so often occurs in the use of 'an electrolytev of high acid strength, unless a large amount of mercury be used.

I have found that by making the anode as `stated herein that it is fnot only a satisfac- 5l tory and practical one for purposes where low amperage is desired, but-that with the bismuthand platinum added to the mercury and zinc it becomes a very satisfactory'and useful anode where high :amper-age is desired'in generating.v electricity sufhcient lfor'.

added for the purposeI of,'generatingf'elecj tricity chemically bythe use of an electr'oe.

lyte inthe electric -batterycelhin the resif dences and 'dwellings-ofpeople who live j upon farms and in towns and villages and the anode made of zinc, mercury, bismuth and platinum as herein described produces sufficiently high amperage'and for sufficient g i length of time as to make acell a'practical without the bismuth and platinum added, 3;-- suliciently'high amperage cannot be main-f v tained for a sui'cient length of'timel to make the primary cell practical 'and useful for .It will thus readily appear that thene.

greater' zincsurface for the action ofthe electrolyte, exciting 1 fluid or solid, thus and thereby increasing .the amperage and sustaining for `'much longer,v period of time. j"

What is claimed is; I1.I An electric batteryincluding an anode vof zinc,jbis muth, mercury andjplatinvm, a suitable?cathode' and: an `electrolyte?inclu'd-`4 ing hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sodium silicate and water. 4

2. An electric batteryyincludipg anv anode of zinc, bismuth, mercuryi` and latnum, a'

suitable cathode and Aa'iif'electro yteinclud# ing one part of hydrochloric acid, one pari-,

sodium silicate and' eight partswater.` c

3.. Anlelectricbattery including: an anode of zinc, bismuth, mercury and atinum, a,

suitable cathode', an electrolyteffincluding i hydrochloric acid, sulfuric"v acid, sodium-- 10s-1 cessity of using a large proportion 'of mer.- l cury is obviatedby using bismuth and platinum and,thereby..permitting*usezofl greater quantity of zinc inthe anode which aiford's 110 A65 small that the cell is impracticablefor any wwwv i` i.,

silicate and water, and a depolarizing liquid ige y 1,090,763 I v m comprising lhydrochloric acid, sodium sili- In testimny whereof, I alx my signa-` cate, nitricA acid and Water. ture, in presence of two Witnessesr 4. A11 anode for primary cells comprising zinc, bismuth, mercury and platinum. HARRY A THOMAS 5. An anode for primary cells comprising l' Witnesses: 92% zinc shayingsl e2 of 1% bismuth', i of LOGAN HAY,

1% platinum and 7 rmercury.. EVA C. STERN. 

